Wine & Chisme

Wine: Casa Martinez, Camila Pinot Noir, 2018 Kar Brulhart - Latina (Mexican/Canadian/Swiss), Social Media Strategist For 7+ years, Kar worked as a social media strategist— creating successful campaigns for Apple, the United Nations, Michael Kors, and Google, among others. But in spring 2020, the company that had just hired her for social strategy went under, thanks to COVID. At the time, she was nine months pregnant, and made a decision that would change her life: She was going to build something for herself. In under 10 months, Kar grew her Instagram account from 0 to 45,000—and built a 6+ figure business teaching IG strategy along the way. More than 500 entrepreneurs have worked with her to co-create a sustainable content plan tailored to their business. Instagram TikTok

Wine: 2019 Chardonnay, Parra Wine Bio: Vanessa Lopez was introduced to the mortgage industry in 2013 throughout her studies in business at Florida International University where she graduated in 2015. The following year she received her Mortgage Loan Origination license and continued to work under some notable names in the Miami mortgage scene. Learning from the bottom up she got the opportunity to master each component of the mortgage process and grew her clientele as a loan originator. She mastered her system and embarked on her journey with her own brand, now known as Exclusive Capital Lending. Instagram

Wine: 2019 Chardonnay, Solorio Family Wines BIO: Alain is the co-founder of las Azucenas a tropical hardwood restored forest. The project is designed to give the average citizen the ability to invest in tropical hardwood cultivation, one tree at a time. Website Instagram

Join me and my friend Alondra as we enjoy a day of wine tasting in Valle de Guadalupe, MX and learn more about a few of these wineries and the wines. Wineries in the order attended: Emevé Wines Adobe Guadalupe

Ellie's Wine: Sete Tropical Orange Wine Jessica's Wine: 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon by Herencia del Valle This month Ellie and I chismear from all the celebrity divorces to the VMA's and everything in-between.

Wine: BIO: Tiffany Yvonne Cox is a 1st generation Trinidadian actress, director, writer, and producer. She began her professional career interning at The Milwaukee Repertory Theatre. This launched her into the Chicago Theatre scene where she worked with companies such as Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, The House Theatre, The Goodman and many more. After her first TV role on Chicago Fire she decided to move to LA where she has worked on shows such as Grey’s Anatomy, Dead To Me, and Good Trouble. She currently has a recurring role in the upcoming Raamla Mohamed/ Kerry Washington/ Larry Wilmore led legal drama Reasonable Doubt on Hulu and a lead on Hallmark’s Mahogany film Napa Ever After. When not on screen or stage, Tiffany volunteers with the non-profit organization CSH Speak Up! where she supports those who have experienced homelessness in developing their story to share with legislation for more funding towards supportive housing. Once she realized bringing minority stories to the forefront was something she enjoyed creating through art, Tiffany began producing and directing. This began with collaborating on the Digital Series COMMUNE. Followed by her directorial debut of a short film called Roadside Assistance which has extended into a workshop on empathy and allyship. She directed the one woman show Whoa Man by Brianna Morris, the podcast play LaDonna’s Epiphany featuring Anna Maria Horsford, and most recently Star Vehicle; a short film that is a comedic love letter to all actors with a look into the world of the diversity day player. Follow Tiffany’s work at www.tiffanyyvonnecox.com and www.roadsideassistancewkshp.com. Instagram

Wine: Llamas Family Wine Chardonnay BIO: When Luz's daughter started private school, my youngest realized she was different. She wanted to be like her friends, who had cute short blond hair and vanilla skin. One day she asked Luz if she could cut and dye her hair blonde and straighten her curls. She knew that she wanted her daughter to know how special is. The next day she shared my daughter's feelings with her teacher. The teacher encouraged her to show her pictures of family members and important historical figures that look like us. Luz started a new bedtime routine which turned into storytelling, but more importantly, it became positive and powerful imagery of being seen and belonging. She showed her pictures of family members from great-grandmothers, aunts, uncles, and friends. To historical figures like the Mirabal Sisters, Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King, Ghandi including current figures: Barack and Michelle Obama, Oprah, Jennifer Lopez, and so on! She then shared stories of who she was as a little girl. Little did she know that her daughters experience speaks to many other children that look like her. Children from different backgrounds and families work hard to help their children be seen and have a place to belong. I wanted to do something for my daughter to see herself, which led me to publish my first bilingual Children's book. It's essential to have diversity in children's books because children need and deserve to see themselves in stories. They should see colors, characters, and stories that speak to them! Instagram Facebook

I was beyond honored to be asked to MC for La Cosecha Grand Tasting by the Mexican American Vintners Association (MAVA)! This incredible event supports Mexican American vintners and raises funds for scholarships to local students. Being part of an event that combines the celebration of wine, culture, and education is a true privilege. By showcasing the talents and passion of Mexican American vintners, La Cosecha Grand Tasting not only uplifts their contributions but also paves the way for future generations. As the MC, I had the honor to connect with winemakers, enthusiasts, and supporters, each with their own unique stories to share. It was a joy to be part of an event that brings people together, celebrating diversity, heritage, and the magic of winemaking. Vintners in Order of Appearance: Rios Wine Maldonado Wines Seis Soles Wine Don Chalo- Sergio Don Chalo- Ernesto Bazan Cellars Mi Sueno MaCo Wines Llamas Family Wines AltaMed Aldina Vineyards President of MAVA, Guillermo Herrera

Wine: 2014 Chardonnay, Herencia del Valle Elisabeth Rosario is an outsourced communications strategist that works with startups of all sizes and venture capital firms. As an independent contractor since 2016, her clients have included venture firms such as: Lux Capital, Renegade Ventures, Spero Ventures (sole LP is Pierre Omidyar), Equal Ventures, RRE Ventures, and Innovation Endeavours (founding partner Eric Shmidt). Startup clients have included: Sonoro, Koinz, Pattern Brands, Pitch, ServiceTitan, Own It (a book) by Ellevest’s Sallie Krawcheck, Emi Couple, Token, Flutterwave, Morty, Looking Glass Factory, Eight Sleep, Dipsea, Loft Orbital, and more. Previously, Elisabeth was the Director of Communications at Spark Capital, an early stage venture capital firm that has backed companies like Twitter, Oculus VR, Slack, Warby Parker and Cruise Automation (acquired by GM). As the firm’s first in-house communications hire, she helped startup founders and the firm's investment team to develop and share their points of view with the world. She also helped to lead platform initiatives with the firm's community of entrepreneurs: building infrastructure, resources and programming to empower and connect over 100 portfolio companies. Before that, Elisabeth was a key part of the growth of various PR agencies where she led media relations campaigns for over 100 disruptive entrepreneurs and startups including Rakuten’s Buy.com, Trello, ClassPass, HowAboutWe, HelloFresh, Squarespace, Zola and Academy award-winning sci-fi film Ex Machina. In 2015, Adweek named Elisabeth on its 30 Under 30 in the PR Industry list. In 2018, Bustle named her on their list of Must-Follow Latinx. She’s a graduate of Baruch College's Zicklin School of Business. Instagram TikTok

Wine: Maldonado Vineyards Chardonnay BIO: Ruben Rojas is a Colombian-American artist, fashion designer, podcaster, and activist. In 2013, Rojas traded in his suit for a paint brush and began transforming blank walls into unique empowering messages that today are uplifting communities and challenging the public to create new dialogues. Rubens’ mission is to ignite creativity and inspire others to see the world through the lens of love. For Ruben, love isn’t a word but rather a way of life. A way to change the world. Through his ‘love’ artwork, Ruben Rojas encourages people to live through love actively, to participate in a ripple effect of positivity, and to love themselves and care for each other. Ruben’s ‘Life Through Love’ message started with his murals. In our current climate of chaos, division, and uncertainty, his artwork is a supercritical reminder that love is a powerful verb; choosing to live through love can transcend labels, bring people together, and break down stigmas. From France to Florida to California, Ruben Rojas’ vibrant murals not only inspire viewers to dream hard, live in joy, and love big but they also beautify gray urban spaces. An act of love in itself. Several of his murals feature his signature ‘love’ script—whether stories-high or small and repeated, Ruben’s looping ‘love’ amplifies his bold philosophy of love. Ruben’s work is also found in surprising places. Putting his philosophy of love to the test, he worked with inmates at Lancaster state prison in 2018 to create a Ruben Rojas-style mural with the message “Forgive/Forgiven.” In conversations with the inmates, forgiving yourself before asking for forgiveness rose as a major theme in their lives. And quite frankly, a love lesson we all need to learn. In 2018, Ruben was painting his “Love Yourself” mural in Sherman Oaks and realized his hand-written ‘love’ would have just as much impact printed on a t-shirt. After posting the mural and accompanying ‘love’ t-shirt, he ended up selling 100 shirts, sparking a pivot to start a mission-driven clothing brand. Those first art-inspired shirts grew into a fuller offering of iconic street style options for men, women, kids, and accessories. Streetwear would be a powerful medium for spreading his philosophy of love on a daily basis: mission-driven clothing that not only looks amazing but also amplifies his ‘Live through Love’ message. He officially launched his first pieces at the end of 2019. Most recently, Rojas was commissioned to create Love Sculptures for the NFL kickoff that will remain proudly displayed at SoFi Stadium (Home Of The LA Rams) and Highmark Stadium (Home of the Buffalo Bills). You can read the full press release here. The purpose of mission-driven brands is to positively impact the world through what they offer. Through his art, apparel, media, and speaking engagements, Ruben Rojas is creating a vibe that the world desperately needs. Operating out of love, not fear. Loving with purpose and action. Changing our narrative from what we lack to an abundance for giving. Ruben also shares his mission of spreading a life lived through love with his corporate and charitable partnerships, including BMW, American Express, Ava’s Kitchen, W Hotels, and more. Inspired to Live Through Love? We’d love to introduce your audience to this man who is conducting a movement for the greater good. Looking forward to connecting with you. Website Instagram YouTube Facebook

Join myself and a panel that includes Founder and CEO of Cannenta Center for Healing and Empowerment, Dr. Leti Cavazos, Director of Dallas Health and Human Services, Dr. Sandra Lozano, and Francesca Martinez, the National Director of Health Equity for the American Heart Association. This live Wine & Chisme Podcast event wouldn’t have been possible without our in-kind sponsors including: Our wine sponsors: Seis Soles Wine and Solorio Family Wines Our VIP bag contributors: Rizos Curls, Vive Cosmetics, and House of Jefa’s Our venue partner V12 Yoga Cadena Collective for dressing me in their beautiful pieces And our hotel partner The Beeman Hotel who provided the most amazing service and room for us to stay in. If you’re going to be in Dallas, I highly recommend a stay at The Beeman Hotel And I would like to thank my friend and V12 Yoga Owner, Veronica Torres for providing a pre-panel meditation and sound bath as well as Scott O'Reilly, owner of O'Boy Productions who provided the amazing video for the event. And of course, to all those who attended and made my dreams come true….I appreciate you more than you could ever know. Muchos abrazos to you all.

Wine: Sauvignon Blanc, 2017 Encanto Vineyards BIO: Diana Benavidez is a Binational artist from the San Diego/Tijuana border region. Her art practice explores piñata-making as a method of expression and storytelling. Diana builds piñatas that reflect upon her experiences growing up as a woman in a border town. Her work is characterized for introducing materials not commonly found in traditional piñatas such as media, gadgets, and technology. Diana received a BA in Visual Arts from UC San Diego and her art has been exhibited in Mexico, Canada, Costa Rica and the US. Website Instagram

Wine: 2018 "Camilla" Pinot Noir, Casa Martinez (Los Carneros Area) BIO: Daniel Martinez began his winemaking education at Hall Wines. After a year in the vineyards, he moved to Robert Mondavi Winery for the 2006 harvest and spent 7 years there. At Mondavi, he had the opportunity to be involved in many hands-on projects, including a grape-to-barrel winemaking project, where he was able to observe and participate in the entire experience from the vineyard, to crush, to cellar logistics and bottling prep, to the finished wine in bottle. He joined the To Kalon fermentation team at Mondavi, learning all about fermentation of high-end wines while working alongside experts that became his mentors. His palate and taste for fine wine was developed in the first and second year Reserve aging rooms. Doing every kind of job — whether working with Master Cooper Quinn Roberts taking care of the wooden tanks or barrel rackings, as well as working with Gustavo Gonzales making press cuts of red wines and Rich Arnold when working with the whites — the learning process was endless. His education expanded to master all phases of winemaking from harvest to bottling, from grape to bottle. Today Daniel brings 17 years of hands-on winemaking experience working with different local producers and winemakers in the Sonoma and Napa area. He earned a degree in winemaking from Napa Valley College and a WSET L3 advanced wine certification to complement his hands-on winemaking experience. Website Instagram

BIO Elisabeth Rosario is an outsourced communications strategist that works with startups of all sizes and venture capital firms. As an independent contractor since 2016, her clients have included venture firms such as: Lux Capital, Renegade Ventures, Spero Ventures (sole LP is Pierre Omidyar), Equal Ventures, RRE Ventures, and Innovation Endeavours (founding partner Eric Shmidt). Startup clients have included: Sonoro, Koinz, Pattern Brands, Pitch, ServiceTitan, Own It (a book) by Ellevest’s Sallie Krawcheck, Emi Couple, Token, Flutterwave, Morty, Looking Glass Factory, Eight Sleep, Dipsea, Loft Orbital, and more. Previously, Elisabeth was the Director of Communications at Spark Capital, an early stage venture capital firm that has backed companies like Twitter, Oculus VR, Slack, Warby Parker and Cruise Automation (acquired by GM). As the firm’s first in-house communications hire, she helped startup founders and the firm's investment team to develop and share their points of view with the world. She also helped to lead platform initiatives with the firm's community of entrepreneurs: building infrastructure, resources and programming to empower and connect over 100 portfolio companies. Before that, Elisabeth was a key part of the growth of various PR agencies where she led media relations campaigns for over 100 disruptive entrepreneurs and startups including Rakuten’s Buy.com, Trello, ClassPass, HowAboutWe, HelloFresh, Squarespace, Zola and Academy award-winning sci-fi film Ex Machina. In 2015, Adweek named Elisabeth on its 30 Under 30 in the PR Industry list. In 2018, Bustle named her on their list of Must-Follow Latinx. She’s a graduate of Baruch College's Zicklin School of Business. Instagram TikTok

BIO: Nancy is the Founder and CEO of Chi-est Beauty, a natural skincare line with a focus on natural deodorant. Nancy is trying to help as many people have a successful transition to natural deodorant as conventional deodorant has been linked to many illnesses, so let do something about it and this is where I come in. Etsy Shop Instagram

Wine: BIO: A proud product of public schools in NY and former classroom teacher, Yanely is now on a mission to improve the education system by adding financial literacy and personal education as a course that all students have guaranteed access to. CNBC has called her “the millennial fighting for Gen Z to learn about money in school.” Website: www.mindyourmoneybook.com YouTube Instagram

Wine: Parra Wines, 2019 Chardonnay BIO: PARRA Wine Co was established in 2019 by proprietor Sam Parra. His last name is a Spanish and Portuguese surname meaning grapevine or trellis. Born and raised in St. Helena, CA, he was destined to be in the wine industry. After rising through the ranks for 15 years in both Napa and Sonoma counties, Sam moved to the Willamette Valley in the summer of 2016 to begin this journey. PARRA Wine Co is and will remain a boutique, hand crafted wine producer. Over the years Sam has cultivated friendships with highly respected growers that share the same passion and dedication to the craft. Website Instagram

Wine: Fathia Wines, 2019 Rosé BIO: Maria Alquicira was born and raised in Mexico where her curiosity for art started. She then studied Arts and Culture in Rome and is currently living in Dallas. Passionate about art and businesses she has developed professionally in the arts and culture sphere through her art practice and in business through her job at one of the biggest movie theater companies in the world. This project is all about a determination to set her life purpose to make art part of our daily lives. Website Instagram

Wine: RG|NY Cabernet Franc BIO: Che Guerrero has spent 16 years tackling race, politics, and family through stand-up comedy. Che's style is rooted in his experiences growing up undocumented. A revolutionary voice on the modern comedy scene, His sense of humor and command of the stage is the result of obstacles often unseen by the average American. Instagram TikTok

Wine: Justicia Wines, Themes Pinot Noir, 2020 Bios: Helen Pelayo Masferrer A mother of 3 that at 30 years old completely transformed her life by making a simple promise to sweat for 30 min every day. 2 years laters she lost 100lbs, landed a dream job at a brand new gym, and met her wife. They now own our own gym in Oregon where I get to have the space to empower the community through health and fitness everyday! Instagram Jazmin Montero Jazmin Montero is a Costa Rican mama living in the mountains of the midwest. She wears a lot of hats and is a UX designer, illustrator and doula. As a doula she has found a great passion for the postpartum period & menstruation. She founded The Postpartum Revolution Conference in 2019, and now in 2022 she is gearing up to launch The Womb School Podcast. When she is not nerding out on womb health or creating beautiful designs for her community, she is out adventuring with her familia. https://www.wombschoolpodcast.com/ Instagram

Wine: Aldina Vineyards, Chardonnay BIO: Cadena is the Spanish word for chain. It is their belief that women are not bound by societal chains or expectations of the roles they should play in the modern age. When women unite like chains, they are stronger, powerful and more resilient. Cadena also happens to be the street name of the home in Mexico, in which owners, Mabel and Alejandra took their first steps and the home they left at the age of six and eight years old, when their mother immigrated to the United States. Their name is a symbol of how life has changed and how moving from Calle Cadena to the United States has given them a world of opportunities. They want to share that opportunity with women who may feel bound by the expectations their family, friends or society has placed on them. Working with women artisans and sharing their talents is a revolution of love, empowerment and the journey towards self-realization. Website: https://www.cadenacollective.com Instagram TikTok

Join myself and a panel that includes Avenida Productions Founders Fanny Grande and Nelson Grande, Evelyn Alsultany, an expert on representation on Arabs & Muslims in media, and Eliana Reyes, Actor, Model and Host of LATV Roots as we discuss Representation in Media. This live Wine & Chisme Podcast event wouldn’t have been possible without our in-kind sponsors including: Our wine sponsors: Seis Soles Wine, Vinos Unidos, and Esfuerzo Wines with bubbles provided by Nfinity Cellars Our VIP bag contributors: Rizos Curls and Vive Cosmetics Our water partner Chiki Chiki Boom Boom And La Revista Binational for sponsoring tickets for 3 of our lucky guests And I would like to thank my friends Heidi Rojas for her performance at the live event as well as Yvonne Hernandez for providing a pre-panel meditation. And of course, to all those who attended and made my dreams come true….I appreciate you more than you could ever know. Muchos abrazos to you all.

Wine: Various Varietals from Solorio Family Wines BIO: Winemaker, Mario Solorio grew up in a small town of Michoacan, Mexico in a very modest family along with his parents and 12 siblings. Growing up in a very modest family meant they had to source much of their food. Mario and his brothers grew up knowing their parents didn’t have enough to purchase the bare necessities for them. This led him to start a new journey and moved to the U.S. in order to help provide a better lifestyle for his siblings and parents. Even though Mario was amazed with the land of opportunities, he faced many challenges at the age of 16 years when he arrived to California, such as the language barrier. It was very difficult for him to search for a job as he didn’t know where to start or how to get employed. He lived with his uncle and worked as a gardener for a couple of months. In 2000 he moved to Napa Valley, and again finding a job was not easy for him at such a young age. However he kept focused; he knew that he had to help support his family back in Mexico and that motivated him to pursue anything. He was hired as a gardener for a private residence, but soon after was offered a job in the vineyards. The first year working in the vineyards was very tough for him as this would be his first ever Harvest season. Despite the obstacles, this brought him a better appreciation of the vineyard workers; as he noticed they were the foundation to the wine making process. He continued working in the vineyards and met some great people that would teach him some techniques. It was not easy for him, yet he always had great motivation to learn and do his best. After some years he became the vineyard lead and by 2005 he had learned vineyard development, pruning, suckering, leaf removal, spraying, tractor work and how to use all equipment. It was in 2005 that he was given the opportunity to have dual responsibilities, by working in the wine cellar and still leading in the vineyards. In the cellar, Mario learned how to process the grapes during harvest, fermentation, pump-overs, racking of the wines, barrel sanitation, pull wine samples, and blending of the wines. This allowed him to fully understand how taking care of the land and vineyards impacted the wine making process, he had now learned the full wine cycle and soon after became the Cellar Master. By 2013 he had grown a passion for wine making, and that inspired him to achieve his ultimate dream of making his own wine. In 2019, he was promoted to assistant winemaker. Making his first wine was a new and fun challenge for him. He didn’t have all the equipment needed, but somehow was able to purchase hand crafted tools for wine making. Mario’s had inspiration to move forward with this dream and adventure. His first vintage was 2013 “13 Hermanos” Red Blend, and decided to name it “13 Hermanos” (13 Brothers) to honor his family. When designing the logo, he had a little help from his daughter, Shantal. The first part of the family's last name, Solorio has a Spanish word "Sol" which means "Sun" and she started to draw a sketch of the sun. Mario loved the idea and incorporated the 15 sun-rays to represent his 12 siblings, his parents and himself. To this date, Mario continues handcrafting new and exciting wines for you to enjoy! Website Instagram

Wine: Don Chalo, 2019 Red Blend BIO: Dulce Vasquez is an education advocate, changemaker, and passionate civic leader. Dulce currently serves as Assistant Vice President for Los Angeles' outpost of Arizona State University. She was previously the Managing Director of Zócalo Public Square, L.A.’s civic forum. Dulce was appointed by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti to serve as a Commissioner to El Pueblo Historic Monument, Los Angeles’ birthplace. Born in Tampico, Mexico, she's lived all over the country, but has called LA home for the last 15 years. After spending half of her childhood undocumented, she attended Northwestern University, The Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po), and earned a Master’s in Public Policy from the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs. In 2022, she ran for Los Angeles City Council which gave her a platform to champion dozens of issues she cares deeply about, including housing, public transportation, support for small businesses, education, and women's rights. She lives in South Los Angeles with her husband and two dogs. Website Instagram TikTok

Wine: Maldonado Vineyards, 2020 Chardonnay BIO: Criss Madrigal is Californian by birth and Mexican at heart and soul. Born in California, she spent half of her childhood life living in Mexico, which was among one of the best experiences in her life as it allowed her to immerse in her beautiful culture. She is happily married to one of the most supportive human beings and partner anyone could have. In 2009, Criss's wish come true and God gifted her the ability to become a mother to an amazing boy. In 2011, her and her husband were blessed with identical twin girls who completed their family. Together as a whole they embarked on the journey of loving, caring and supporting their family unit that includes children with a variety of needs. She knew her passion was to serve others in a deep and meaning way, which is why she became a certified life and mindset coach. Criss is also a corporate mom and human resources professional, who has spent the last 18 years working at a Fortune 500. Criss has a deep passion for helping working mothers establish worklife balance. She helps moms break the self-imposed barriers that create guilt, overwhelm and burnout to establish a daily state of clarity, balance and confidence to put themselves first as a woman to then find their purpose and achieve their desired goals in life. She wants women all around the world to know they have it in them to achieve greatness and success, and it is all INSIDE of them! They just need to learn to LOVE themselves first! Website Instagram Facebook Group

Wine: Vinos Unidos, 2012 Zinfandel BIO: Cat is a coach, mom, and founder of Latina Millionaires Club. She helps Latinas and women of color overcome limiting beliefs around money and create their wealth-building strategy so they can live a more happy, healthy, and wealthy life. Cat believes that the key to make the change we want to see in the world lies in the hands of women but we need a larger share of the wealth to be able to use our power for good. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/latinamillionairesclub/ Website: msha.ke/latinamillionairesclub

Wine: Encanto Vineyards, 2016 Pinot Noir BIO: Valentina Izarra is an award-winning actress, media and motivational coach, dancer, and writer. She is also the producer and host of the Mamas Con Ganas Podcast. Her mission is to empower Latinas by creating inspirational content. She speaks English, Spanish and French fluently and is conversational in Italian and German. You might have seen her recently in the Lifetime movie, Secrets in the Basement, in one of the many commercials she’s done or in her viral YouTube video ballroom dancing at 35 weeks pregnant. She was named Best Actress (New Times 2014) for her performance in Julie Johnson at Kutumba Theatre Project and was awarded the Silver Palm Award and nominated for a Carbonell Award for her performance in Savage in Limbo at Alliance Theatre Lab. She also co-authored an Amazon Bestseller book titled Ignite Love. Valentina is originally from Venezuela but currently resides in Miami with her husband and three boys.

Andres and I discuss how he became a multi-hyphenate entrepreneur and what drove him to start co-found Chiki Chiki Boom Boom, a tropical water beverage company, driven by Latin culture, sustainability and social impact. Wine: Vinos Unidos, 2018 Red Blend BIO: Andres Izquieta Is a multi-hyphenate CPG entrepreneur in the areas of food and beverage, fashion, and entertainment. His passion and drive sits at the intersection of sustainability, culture, community and consumer products. He's the CEO & co-founder of tropical water beverage company, Chiki Chiki Boom Boom, a brand driven by Latin culture, sustainability and social impact. He's the co-founder of Five Four Group, a multi-million dollar fashion conglomerate with brands such as Five Four, Menlo Club, New Republic, Young & Reckless, and Ales Grey, who have collectively generated over $600million in revenues. Lastly, he's the co-founder of the Latin community platform, Al Tun Tun. LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/andresizquieta/ Personal website - http://andresizquieta.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/andresizquieta/ Chiki - https://drinkchiki.com/ Five Four Group - https://fivefourgroup.com/ Al Tun Tun - https://altuntun.com/

Wine: Herencia del Valle, 2014, Cabernet Sauvignon BIO: Evelyn Alsultany is a leading expert on the history of representations of Arabs and Muslims in the U.S. media. She is the author of Broken: The Failed Promise of Muslim Inclusion (NYU Press, 2022) and Arabs and Muslims in the Media: Race and Representation after 9/11 (2012). She is an associate professor in the Department of American Studies and Ethnicity at the University of Southern California’s Dornsife College. She has served as an educator and consultant for Hollywood studios and co-authored criteria, the Obeidi-Alsultany Test, to help Hollywood improve representations of Muslims. Professor Alsultany has published op-eds in The Hollywood Reporter, The Washington Post, and Newsweek and has a podcast, “Muslims As Seen on TV.” For more information see https://evelynalsultany.com/. Instagram

Mi gente- these women and men represent Latiné voices in cinema. Latinos represent 20% of the population in the U.S. and account for close to 25% of movie ticket sales. Yet we are only represented on screen LESS THAN 10% of the time!! 🤬 So to be part of celebrating the 30th anniversary of the @sdlatinofilmfestival has truly been an honor. To meet and interview a small portion of the directors, producers, and actors showing their films here gives me hope. Voices from across Latin America showing our various cultures, perspectives, and skin tones because we all know that Latinos come in all colors- has been inspiring. But it doesn’t stop there. We MUST continue to highlight, support and BUY the tickets to show that we are here and we want to see ourselves reflected on screen!!! So mi gente, follow these amazing creators. Watch their art. Shout them out from the rooftops because this is just the beginning!! @angemdza, Director of @thebluedrum @gabbyrlugo, Director & @jess_m_garcia, Producer & star of @illegallybrownfilm @anabelinigogo, Director and @rallentando, Producer of Wish Upon a Disco Ball @hialbertoacosta, Director and @zandertorres, Lead Actor of @hahashortfilm @jose_monte16, Director and star of Chico & Rico: Animal Avengers @jordan_hates, Director of The Buck Stop

This episode is a first and doesn't feature a wine but Mocel Mezcal! BIO: Rosalinda Mendoza is CEO and Co-Founder of Mocel Mezcal, an e-commerce company that delivers ultra-premium artisanal mezcales to your home to create a shared tasting experience. Rosalinda was born and raised in rural Washington to farmworker immigrants from Michoacán, Mexico. Between growing up in the farmlands of Washington State and visiting her grandparents in rural Michoacán, she understood and appreciated the hard work of cultivating and making real food and beverages. Rosalinda and her sister co-founded Mocel Mezcal, which crafts mezcales from Michoacán using 400-year-old artisanal methods with two ingredients – agave and water. Prior to venturing into entrepreneurship, Rosalinda held roles in management and marketing for various organizations including IBM, Starbucks and the Washington State Farmworker Housing Trust, a non-profit working to improve housing conditions for families in rural Washington. Rosalinda also continues to play an active role as mentor in FOSTERing MBA Access, a program she co-founded as an MBA student to recruit students of color and women into UW’s highly ranked MBA program. Rosalinda has an MBA from the University of Washington and a B.A. in Economics from Whitman College. Rosalinda and her boot-wearing, bull-riding husband enjoy spending time in the Yakima Valley, hanging out at rodeos with family and expanding their mezcal collection. Instagram

Wine: Herencia Del Valle Sauvignon Blanc BIO: Originally from Los Angeles, Geena the Latina has been a staple on San Diego’s #1 Hit Music Station Channel 933 for more than 14 years. Arguably one of the most recognized and beloved radio personalities in San Diego, Geena is the host of “The Geena the Latina and Frankie V Morning Show.” She was voted as “Best Radio Personality” in the San Diego Union Tribune in 2019. In 2018, she was recognized by California Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher’s 80th district as Woman of the Year. April 17th, 2018 was also named as “Geena the Latina Day” by the city of San Diego. She also appears weekly on Fox 5 San Diego giving viewers a look at what’s happening around town every weekend. Geena has accumulated more than 50,000+ followers on social media staking her claim as one of San Diego’s most influential social media “influencers.” In the summer of 2015, she served as a fill-in for Ellen K on the nationally syndicated Ryan Seacrest show on 102.7 KIIS FM Los Angeles. Prior to her current show, Geena served as the co-host of the Kramer and Geena morning radio show for five years and before that served as the co-host on the AJ in the Morning Show on KMYI Star 94.1 San Diego and female co-host on KHTS Channel 933 San Diego’s AJ’s Playhouse. Geena has quickly become one of the most well-known radio on-air hosts, being named the “Best Radio Personality in San Diego” in 2014 Ranch and Coast Magazine’s Best of San Diego issue. Geena has been through more than most in her young life, having had two teenage brothers killed due to gang violence, which is why she has such a strong passion for the inner city youth of her community. She spends her free time visiting local middle schools and high schools inspiring them to become more than what is expected of them. Geena was the first in her family to graduate from a 4-year university and was also the founding president of the first-ever Latina based sorority Sigma Lambda Gamma at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles where she also received a softball scholarship. She has been a member of the National Latina Business Women’s Association, served as an honorary board member for the MANA organization San Diego Chapter and has participated in numerous local charities. She truly loves life and appreciates everything that she has been blessed with. Social Media Instagram

Wine: Javier San Pedro, Tempranillo Rioja BIO: Arzo Yusuf, is the founder and CEO of Sexy Boss Babe, a social impact company that focuses on women empowerment and the link between foster youth and human trafficking. Website Instagram Sexy Boss Babe Instagram

Wine: BIO: Heidi Rojas is a hit songwriter, artist, and first generation Latina based in Los Angeles, CA. She co-wrote two UK #1 singles: Little Mix’s first single “Wings” and Cheryl Cole’s single “Crazy Stupid Love” among many other notable releases. She is also a songwriting and performance coach with many students around the world. Heidi also develops artists, using her 15 years of experience and relationships in the music industry to help artists fulfill their career goals. Her debut single "La Situacion" is now available on iTunes and Spotify! Website: www.heidirojas.com Instagram TikTok

Wine: Surcos Wine, 2019 Tempranillo BIO: Insightful Babes has made made it their mission to be a voice with all of the Hustlers, Dreamers, Outsiders, and Visionaries out there. They strive to show all the Reinas out there that it's time to straighten out their crown and live their life to their highest potential. Insightful Babes was created in June 2019 by two amigas, Diana Contreras and Maria Garibay, as a Latina owned Brand and Podcast. Coming from hispanic traditional beliefs, Diana and Maria decided to share their entrepreneurship journey, ups, and downs, inspire, empower, and help others who are not being themselves because of fear, or because of traditional beliefs. ​Insightful Babes is an English, Spanish, Spanglish platform. Insightful Babes IG Diana Contreras Maria Garibay

Wine: El Campeon, Portugal BIO: Jeannette Ceja is an award-winning bilingual travel journalist, television host, and global public speaker. As an on-air travel expert, she has appeared on BBC World News, ABC7 Los Angeles, WTTW Chicago, FOX 11 Los Angeles, Mexico Travel Channel, Good Day Austin, KUSI News, and other media outlets worldwide. She received her Bachelor's Degree in Journalism from Belmont University and completed the Professional Program in Producing at the University of California, Los Angeles. While at Belmont, Jeannette interned at Fox News Chicago, WTVF- CBS in Nashville, the Tennessean newspaper, and completed the Chips Quinn Scholar Program for Diversity in Journalism. A respected and sought-after host, Jeannette has been the Master of Ceremony, Emcee, and Moderator at many international events, including The Global Tourism Forum in Turkey, The New York Travel Festival, The Changemakers Awards, The Global Voice Awards, The Latinas in Aviation Global Festival, and The Impact Travel Immersion Global Conference. In 2018, Jeannette was the Official Travel Host for The World Woman Summit at The Clinton Presidential Center. The following year, she was recognized as one of the Top 20 Global Women of Excellence by U.S. Congressman Danny K. Davis and the Multi-Ethnic Advisory Task Force at the 7th Annual International Women's Day Celebration. In 2022, she received the Latina Joven de Impacto Mundial award from the Líder Gladiador Conference in Dallas, Texas. Also, Jeannette was honored as a Top 40 Under Forty Honoree by AL DÍA News in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Website: www.jetsetwithjeannette.com Instagram Twitter LinkedIn

Wine: The Butchery Cabernet Sauvignon from Moldova BIO: Cynthia Ángel is the oldest daughter of Colombian immigrants. Born and raised in Jackson Heights, Queens Cynthia began her career as a production assistant for a VFX company. Within a few months Cynthia was promoted to production manager and then transitioned into commercial producing, winning Clios and Cannes Lions for her campaigns for Spotify, Google, Nike, Vevo and Amazon. Although commercial work proved to be a source of income, Cynthia’s deep rooted love for film led her to found her own creative studio- D L A Films. Focusing on diversity in front of and behind the camera, Cynthia's goal is to bring cinematic and compelling stories to life all while giving a voice to the voiceless. SUN is Cynthia's first feature length film project and a continuation of her intention to tell the stories of those who come from backgrounds similar to her own. Website: www.dlafilms.com Cynthia Ángel IG DLA Films IG

Wine: Vin Chaud (red wine, brandy, spices) made by Jessica's boyfriend BIO: Erika Cruz is a Coach, Speaker, and Founder of Purpose Driven Latina. She helps her community align with their purpose, lead with courage, and find fulfillment. After eight years in the tech industry, Erika created a business by following her passion - all thanks to TikTok. As the proud daughter of Mexican Immigrants, Erika is aware of the lack of available resources to her growing up. She is on a mission to connect others with the tools and resources to be the best they can be. Erika has been featured in the NY Times, CNN, LA Times and she is just getting started. Website: https://www.theerikacruz.com Instagram Courage Driven Latina IG

Wine: 2021 Seis Soles White Blend BIO: Grace Gavilanes is an NYC-based writer, editor, and content strategist with 10 years of experience. She's a former magazine editor who's been published in People, Food & Wine, Mic, and InStyle, among other publications. Website: https://www.gracegavilanes.com/ Instagram

Join me as I attended the 2nd annual (but first in person) Latinx Wine Summit in Napa, CA hosted by Hispanics in Wine and The Roots Fund. Interviews (in order of appearance): Angela McCrae from Uncorked & Cultured Chris Rivera, Owner of Seis Soles Wines Melissa Sanchez - Attendee Rafael Rios, Owner of Justicia Wines Ikimi Dubose, Board Member of the The Roots Fund Luis Roberto Caballero Orozco from Jackson Family Wines Luis Gallegos, Owner of Surcos Wines Marissa Torres - Attendee Melissa Bravo - Attendee Miriam Puentes (Honrama Cellars) and Lola Llamas (Llamas Family Wines), Owners of Las Del Vino Maria Calvert and Lydia Richards, Founder of Hispanics in Wine Gabriela Fernandez, Radio Host and MC for the Latinx Wine Summit

Wine: Ring Ring Rose Wine, Italy 2022 brought many changes for the podcast and even me personally. It has been a pleasure sharing the stories of all the guests this year and I look forward to what's to come in 2023... I'm also booking guests for 2023 so if you'd like to join me for some wine and chisme, click the link below! Tamales y Wine Guide Pozole y Wine Guide Latiné Owned Wine Brands Based in the U.S. Be a Guest

Wine: Solorio Family Wines 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon BIO: Liz Hernandez is a Mexican American Emmy-nominated television personality and journalist. As a former radio host and entertainment reporter for Access Hollywood, E! News and MTV, her career is built on words, but no chapter is more meaningful than the one she is currently living with WORDAFUL, a video and live event series that focuses on the importance of how we communicate with others and ourselves. Through WORDAFUL, Liz created a new form of storytelling that she hopes will encourage and connect us to the power of words. Liz believes we can create new realities for ourselves by changing our internal and external dialogue, ones that support more meaningful relationships and lives. “Our thoughts and words from yesterday are what make up our lives." Website: https://wordaful.com Instagram Wordaful Instagram

Wine: 2018 Sauvignon Blanc, Herencia Del Valle BIO: Jorge Narvaez is a father of 3, fatherhood case manager and content creator. For the past couple of years he has been active on and offline to spread his message of Family, Community, Art, Music and most importantly Fatherhood! Instagram

Wine: Jose Wine Caves 2015 Mourvedre Brandi is the Founder of the Operation Growth Institute, a Global Transformational Learning Center where people can accept, heal, grow, and transform into the next iteration of their personal and professional best. For over twenty years, Brandi has honed her skill as a strategist, wellness expert, and coach. She helps clients identify their own solutions and specializes in coaching clients through her signature 12 steps to realize transformational growth. She examines how the barriers of generational baggage, fatherlessness, sexual trauma, single mother/fatherhood, racial identity and bias, and failure keep her clients from living their best life and helps her clients determine the next step. Brandi is a natural coach who has mentored and guided young leaders, honing her skills by providing personal and professional strategic support while leading young professional teams. She is also a certified Holistic Health Counselor by the International Board of African Thinkers, Priest and Healers, a certified Fatherless Daughters Advocate, and a student of the MMS coaching method. Brandi has studied with the Aspen Institute, Kellogg Foundation, Zuckerberg Institute, Iyanla Vanzant and the God Squad, Queen Afua, and Dr. Llaila Afrika. She studied for the International Coaching Federation accreditation with Dr. Cherie Carter-Scott. Website: https://brandirichardthompson.com/ Instagram Facebook LinkedIn

Wine: RG|NY Cabernet Franc BIO: Che Guerrero has spent 16 years tackling race, politics, and family through stand-up comedy. Che's style is rooted in his experiences growing up undocumented. A revolutionary voice on the modern comedy scene, His sense of humor and command of the stage is the result of obstacles often unseen by the average American. Instagram TikTok

Wine: 2010 Llamas Family Wine Cabernet Sauvignon BIO: Brandi brings over 22 years of experience, awards and recognition in the beauty industry to the beauty industry. She has spent fifteen years proving herself in the highly competitive beauty industry serving Hollywood elites such as Lena Waithe, Cynthia Erivo, Sophia Nomvete and many more. In this image conscious society, Brandi continues to show she can handle any shade and any skin condition for any occasion with confidence, sensitivity and most of all have results. Being the only child of Latinx + Indigenous decent in an entire town as well as a first generation American, has been her driving force for entering the beauty industry to educate and inspire change anyway she can. Website: https://www.lunavibe.co/ Instagram

Wine: Crémant de Loire, Sparkling Cabernet Franc Thank you WetStone Wine Bar for hosting Jesse and I during this recording BIO: Jesse Leon is a social impact consultant to foundations and investors on ways to address issues of substance abuse/addiction, affordable housing, and mental health. He is a native English and Spanish speaker and fluent in Portuguese. He is an alum of UC Berkeley and Harvard and based in San Diego. Born to indigenous working-class Mexican immigrants in San Diego in the 1970s, Jesse Leon’s childhood was violently ruptured. Overlooked by state-sanctioned institutions and systems intended to help victims of abuse, neglected like many other low-income Latinos, Jesse spiraled into cycles of suicide and substance abuse. More info Instagram

Wine: Seis Soles, 2020 SolTierra Red Blend BIO: Michelle Barrionuevo-Mazzini is a 1st gen Latina, multi-passionate creative entrepreneur and jefa at CASITA MICHI and MB Creative Co. She is passionate about social good, BIPOC representation, and elevating Latina voices. She is no longer ok with just getting a seat at the table, she wants to create one. Last fall, Michelle became the first Latina-owned candle brand to debut at Macy's and at a large retailer for that matter. Her hope is that through her brand's story she can empower our community to be seen and feel seen. Casita Michi instagram

Wine: Encanto Vineyards, 2017 Sauvignon Blanc BIO: Valeria Hernández is a 1st-generation Mexican-American Latina who has a never ending passion for helping women & femmes thrive by stepping into their “Healthy Wealthy Jefy” persona. Valeria is a Life & Health Coach for ambitious women & femmes of color. She specializes in plant-based nutrition, intuitive eating, and wealth building. Valeria loves helping her clients increase their energy with plant based foods and ditch diet culture so they can show up confidently in their life and fuel their dreams! Instagram

Wine: Herencia del Valle 2013 Merlot BIO: Claudia Moncarz is a world traveler, mother, number lover, and great attorney. While admittedly she isn't that humble, She is proud to be a caring friend to her clients. Even though a love of numbers runs in her family (her grandparents were accountants), she always shied away from a career related in any way to finance. That is until one summer when she landed an internship working for a criminal judge in Miami, Florida. He quickly realized that Claudia did not want to practice criminal law and sent her to different divisions to observe other judges.The week she spent in probate court changed her life. She finally learned what she wanted to do with the rest of her professional life: She was going to be a probate lawyer. That fall, she shared her new plan with one of her professors. He advised she take a tax course, a recommendation that she reluctantly followed. Studying tax law was like being in nirvana for Claudia. Her love affair with tax law began from that moment. Website: moncarzlawfirm.com Instagram